Community College Costs: February Week 2 Trends
Many students opt to attend community college over traditional four-year schools because it is generally cheaper to attend community college. But there are always hidden fees and extra costs to consider as an incoming student. This week on social media, various topics related to community college costs have been trending including Detroit’s action to make community college free and San Francisco’s move to use taxes to pay for community college. There was also an interesting post made by NPR regarding a rise in hunger and homelessness as college costs increase.
San Francisco Becomes First U.S. City to Offer Tuition-Free Community College
On Saturday, February 11 the Twitter handle @CNN (CNN News) posted a link to a news article regarding San Francisco’s decision to offer free community college to all residents starting in the fall of 2017. San Francisco will be the first U.S. city to make this choice and it has many residents in uproar, considering that the tuition costs will be paid for by property taxes equaling more than $5 million. CNN news writer Katie Lobosco reports that this tax is called the “real estate transfer tax” and it was increased in 2016 for both commercial and residential properties, an increase that was approved by voters in November of 2016.
The real estate transfer tax begins at 2.25% and goes as high as 3% for properties with an estimated worth exceeding $25 million. The tax is expected to bring in an average
Each year, millions of students graduate from high school and move on to higher education. While 4-year colleges and universities may be the more traditional option, community college works for many students. If you are thinking about enrolling in community college, take the time to learn about this option from every angle.
In this article, you will learn about the pros and cons of community college to help you make your choice. If you do decide that community college is right for you, you’ll also receive tips for taking control of your community college education so you can graduate with the best chance for success upon entering the “real world”.
Is Community College Right for You?
If you think that community college could be the right choice for you, you would be wise to learn about the pros and cons of making this choice. Community college is an excellent alternative to four-year colleges and universities, but it isn’t the right decision for everyone. Here is a list of advantages that may be associated with community college:
- Many community colleges offer smaller class sizes which could mean more personalized attention and instruction from your teachers.
- Community college is generally much less expensive than traditional 4-year schools, especially if you continue to live at home.
- Many community colleges offer online classes and night classes, making it a more practical option for people who are working full-time or who have a family.
- You may be able to complete your core classes at a fraction of the cost and then
If you are a student in high school, you have probably taken your fair share of standardized tests. Some school districts rely on standardized testing more than others and there is a great deal of debate about the pros and cons. No matter how you feel about the subject personally, you must be practical and accept the reality that you probably won’t get into college without taking some kind of test.
Most colleges and universities require either the SAT or the ACT – sometimes both. But there is another standardized test out there that you may need to think about – the GRE. In this article, you will learn what the GRE is, when you might need it, and how to prepare yourself so that you can get the highest score possible for your application.
What is the GRE?
The GRE is the Graduate Record Exam and it is the test that is most commonly required for graduate school admission – hence the name. Similar to the ACT and the SAT, the GRE is divided into three main sections: analytical writing, verbal, and quantitative. The analytic writing section comes first and, to complete this section, you must read a paragraph about a general issue and then respond in writing. Those who score the test look for evidence of sound reasoning skills and the ability to provide examples to support your views – you have 30 minutes to complete this portion of the test.
After the analytical writing section comes the verbal section –
College is a time of learning and self-discovery. It is exciting to finally be out in the world on your own – you don’t have to answer to anyone and you can do whatever you want, more or less. But just because you have more freedom in your life doesn’t mean that you can abuse it. Learn from the example of some college students who didn’t take college quite as seriously as they should have, and now they are paying the price.
Top Academic Mistakes You Want to Avoid
College is where you will learn the information and skills you need to succeed in the “real world” as an adult. You will pick a major and then take all of the classes you need to graduate with a degree in that major which will (hopefully) get you a job after graduation. There is no need to pack your class schedule with all of the hardest classes the school has to offer – you aren’t really trying to impress anyone. But there are some common academic mistakes you want to avoid. Here are a few of the most common academic mistakes first-year college students make:
- Believing that college is just like high school. In high school, your teachers hold you accountable for doing your classwork and for showing up on time. Once you get to college, however, it is on you to keep up with your classwork and homework, and to show up for class. This requires a certain degree of self-discipline which
Starting college is an exciting time. The world is full of new possibilities and you can’t begin to imagine what the future holds. When you are just starting community college, it is easy to get caught up in the excitement but you do need to maintain a certain degree of practicality. For instance, you shouldn’t just load up your class schedule with fun electives and “blow-off” classes if you want to graduate on time. Keep reading to learn some helpful tips for crafting the perfect class schedule that is the ideal mix of fun and functional.
Things to Think About Before Choosing Classes
Depending which community college you choose, you may be faced with a large number of class options – perhaps an entire book full. While it may be tempting to just skim through the class list and just pick the things that interest you, you do need to be realistic about your choices. Just as important as the types of classes you choose are the number of classes. Only you can know how much you are able to handle when it comes to your class load, so don’t be afraid to challenge yourself with a bit of hard work, but be realistic about how much time you have for studying and homework without completely sacrificing all of your free time. Different students learn and work at different rates, so be aware of your own abilities and limitations and take those things into account when scheduling classes.
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